the fire it is in can give it. Cresce di, cresce 'l peddo, dice il pescatore." (Ital.) See Chambers' Book of Days, i. 19.

A surly winter.-BK. 17: BC. 55.

A frosty winter and a dusty March,

And a rain about Aperill,

And another about the Lammas time (August),
When the corn begins to fill;

Is worth a ploughy of gold

And all her pins theretill.

BK. 35 BC. 14, quoting Denham's Proverbs.

Little mead.

Little need.

Somerset. A mild winter hoped for after a bad summer.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Ray.

A dry March, a wet April, a dry May, and a wet June,
Is commonly said to bring all things in tune.

AQ. iii. 83, quoting Ellis's Modern Husbandman, vol. iv. pt. i. p. 50.

Be it dry, or be it wet,

The weather 'll always pay its debt.

Proverb. Folklore, p. 16.

Between twelve and two.

You'll see what the day will do.

Norfolk. CB. 156.

If during the night the temperature fall and the thermometer

rise,

We shall have fine weather and clear skies.-N. 11.

On Thursday at three,
Look out, and you'll see,
What Friday will be.-G. 538.

Friday's a day as'll have his trick,
The fairest or foulest day o' the wik.

Shropshire. AP. 261.

Friday and the week,

Are seldom aleek.

Cornwall.

CI. ii. 184.

Fridays in the week,

Are never aleek.

Devons. CE. i. 303.

The two following rhymes play upon weather-wisdom--
"Well, Duncombe, how will be the weather?"
"Sir-it looks cloudy altogether.

And coming across our Houghton Green,
I stopped and talked with old Frank Beane.
While we stood there, sir, old Jan Swain
Went by, and said he knowed 'twould rain.
The next that came was Master Hunt,
And he declared he knew it wouldn't.
And then I met with Father Blow,
He plainly said he didn't know.
So, sir, when doctors disagree,

Who's to decide it, you or me?"

This is a village rhyme written in the last century, and wellknown in Bedfordshire, where all the names are still known. BK. 90.

To talk of the weather is nothing but folly,

For when it rains on the hill, the sun shines in the valley.

N. 17.

This Duncombe was an original and a rhymer. His occupation was that of a dealer in Dunstable larks. He resided for many years at the village of Haughton-Regis, near Dunstable. N. T. 51.

HUSBANDRY MAXIMS.

a. ACTION.

BARLEY-SOWING.

Or

When the elmen-leaf is as big as a mouse's ear,
Then to sow barley never fear :

When the elmen-leaf is as big as an ox's eye,
Then says I, Hie, boys, hie!

Then sing Hie, etc.

CG. x. 25: All the year Round, June 8, 1889. See an article in the Field for April 28, 1866. (?)

When the oak puts on his goslings gray,

'Tis time to sow barley night and day.-N. 46.
When the sloetree is as white as a sheet,

Sow your barley, whether it be dry or wet.

Ellis's Modern Husbandman (1750), vol. i. pt. 2, p. 9. AQ. iii. 84: CB. 157. Ray has like wood.

BREWING AND BAKING.

When the elder is white, brew and bake a peck,

When the elder is black, brew and bake a sack.-N. 47.

CHEESE-MAKING.

If you will have a good cheese, and hav'n old, You must turn'n seven times before he is cold. Somersetshire. Aubrey, Nat. Hist. Wilts., p. 105: AN.

243

Cow, ETC.

Look to the cow, and the sow,

And the wheat mow,

And all will be well enow.

Somersetshire. CQ. 182.

DEALING.

When the cuckoo comes to the bare thorn,
Sell your cow, and buy your corn;

But when she comes to the full bit,

Sell your corn and buy your sheep.-BD. i. 335.

I.e. a late spring is bad for cattle, and an early spring is bad for BK. 15.

corn.

FRUIT.

If you would fruit have,

You must bring the leaf to the grave.

That is, you must transplant your trees just about the fall of the leaf, . . not sooner, because of the motion of the sap; not later, that they may have time to take root before the deep frosts. CQ. 30.

PROVERB FOR APPLES, PEARES, HAWTHORNS, QUICKSETTS, OAKES.

Sett them at Allhallow tyde, and command them to grow, Sett them at Candlemas and entreat them to grow.

Nat. Hist. Wilts., p. 105. AN. 242.

HAY AND CORN.

'Tis time to cock your hay and corn,

When the old donkey blows his horn.

Farmers Magazine, iv., pt. i. p. 304 (1836): CF. xii. 447

KIDNEY-BEAN PLANTING.

Or

When elum leaves are as big as a farden
It's time to plant kidney-beans in the garden.

When elum leaves are as big as a shillin',

It's time to plant kidney-beans if you're willin';
When elum leaves are as big as a penny,

You must plant kidney-beans if you mean to have any.

West Worcestershire. S. 38: CF. i. 429. See also BEAN

SOWING.

MUSHROOMS.

When the moon is at the full,
Mushrooms you may freely pull;
But when the moon is on the wane,
Wait ere you think to pluck again.

Essex. CF. x. 247.

PEAS AND BEANS.

Sow peas and beans in the wane of the moon,
Who soweth them sooner he soweth too soon.-N. 42.

PLOUGHING.

Plough deep while others sleep,

And you

shall have corn to sell and to keep.

CB. 158 N. 14. This proverb is in Poor Richard Improved 1758, but sluggards is given instead of "others." See BC. 331. Sometimes the proverb is given in this form

There is no gains without pains,

Then plough deep while sluggards sleep.-N. 14.

"That they, with ye planet, may rest and rise,

And flourish with bearing most plentiful wise."-Tusser.

"Peas and beans, sown during the increase do run more to hawm and straw; and during ye declension, more to cod, according to the common consent of countrymen."-Tusser, Redivivus, 8vo, London, 1744, p. 16.